NCJ Number
165411
Journal
Corrections Compendium Volume: 21 Issue: 11 Dated: (November 1996) Pages: 10-23
Date Published
1996
Length
14 pages
Annotation
A survey of State and Federal correctional institutions in the United States and Canadian institutions gathered information on health care for female inmates and testing and expenditures related to AIDS.
Abstract
Results revealed that the cost of providing health care to incarcerated women increased more rapidly than the overall cost of inmate health care between 1994 and 1995. The percentage of female inmates in State and Federal institutions responding to the survey averaged 5.65 percent in 1995, compared to 5.5 percent in 1994 and just over 5 percent in 1992. Nearly all participants indicated the availability of obstetric and gynecological services for female inmates. They reported the admission of 2,678 pregnant women to institutions in 1995. All responding systems in the United States test inmates for HIV; an increasing number reported that testing is mandatory. A total of 23,761 inmates in 43 responding systems are known to be infected with HIV or to have AIDS. The percentage of all inmates known to be infected with HIV who are women increased more than 3 percentage points during the same survey. The systems reported a variety of treatment measures, including the use of antiretrovirals, protease inhibitors, and other regimens; appetite-enhancing drugs and dietary supplements; and chronic and hospice care for inmates in the advanced stages of the disease. Figure and results for each responding State and province